Dance With the Devil
by technotreegrass
Summary: The Daughters of Aku break from their training once each year to celebrate their lord and master. This year, there's a party crasher.


_Author's Note: Happy Halloween! I know that Jack would not put himself in a situation where Aku may appear before he regains his sword but I wanted to have him meet Ashi before she and her sisters are set out to kill the Samurai, and this is what I came up with. You don't argue with inspiration when it practically writes the whole fic minutes after the initial idea._

* * *

October 31st, the Day of the Damned. Evil is celebrated, monsters, demons, and villains rejoice in the freedoms Aku has granted them. The evil overlord is celebrated as a hero, and any who oppose him cower in their homes, praying the Samurai can protect them from the darkness outside. Celebrations are rampant, and one lucky party a year gets a special visit from the Shogun of Sorrow himself. Though many try to bribe and entice him to visit theirs, it is one of the very few things that he keeps fair. His choice truly is random.

The High Priestess of the Daughters of Aku cult hosts a high profile affair, welcoming the worst of the worst and scaring away any who would make light of this most joyous event. The one night a year that the true Daughters of Aku had a respite from their training, though they worked extra hard the next day to make up the lost time.

The guest list varied from year to year, but the Pyro was a consistent guest. A beefy, muscled man with long black hair and a goatee, dressed in black leather and red cloth, acting as Master of Ceremonies. With his flamethrower trident, he delighted all with his techniques and the show he put on, filling the area with light and heat, the closest they could come to experiencing the joy of the Pit of Hate.

Unfortunately, his presence came with demands. Every year, when the witching hour struck, he demanded a night of debauchery with a woman of his choice, and ever since the Daughters came of age, he had his eyes on them alone. Aki and Ami welcomed his advances, but they had their nights previously. With seven to choose from, he may have his eyes on someone new. Ashi wanted nothing to do with the Pyro. She just wanted the yearly reprieve from training, to be outside in nature rather than the cold stone of the cavern system.

She and her sisters stood around the clearing where the celebration was held, awaiting the guests. Chatter was kept to a minimum; even on a night of celebration, the High Priestess discouraged small talk among her daughters. Even on this most sacred day of the year, their goal was everything, and they could not be distracted. The one exception was the Pyro's needs. For some unknown reason, the High Priestess would not deny his wishes, and the chosen was simply pushed the hardest the next day.

Ashi leaned against a tree, arms crossed, looking bored. It did her no favors to show her true feelings and look excited. She was an assassin, destined to kill the Samurai, a goal many shared tonight. She had to prove her worth, though untested, against others who had notched many kills on their weapon of choice.

A parade of people were heading in their direction, a motley crew of human, alien, and robot. All thugs and brutes, dirty, scarred, and menacing, openly brandishing weapons, some stained with fresh blood. "Stupid fool was caught outdoors, I had no choice," he defended, though his tone was betrayed with cruel laughter, shared by the others. Ashi narrowed her eyes; Aku would not approve of such actions. Why would her mother allow them here? But all attendees came from her mother's explicit invitation, and she was not going to question her will and receive a beating in return.

A hooded figure brought up the rear, silent, his weapon, if he carried one, hidden beneath his dark blue robes. _A shadow in the night_ , Ashi determined, a slight smile betraying her feelings. _I can respect that._ She did her best work under the cover of darkness.

"Is that all of us?" The Pyro demanded, looking at the crowd and doing a mental head count. "Good," he smiled grimly, clearly pleased with what he saw. "Let us begin."

Everyone gathered around the assembled pile of wood and hay, silent and humble. Ashi distanced herself from her mother and sisters, finding herself standing next to the hooded figure.

"Children of Aku," The Pyro bellowed, holding his trident high, "welcome to the communion of your race!" A blaze of fire roared from the trident, lightning several torches that circled the clearing, and then finally, the stockpile in front of them, creating a massive bonfire.

The crowd roared with approval, but the hooded figure stayed silent, raising only his fist.

"Tonight we celebrate the gifts Aku has bestowed upon us, the freedom to act as we please, and offering us a haven from our restrictive homelands."

The hooded figure's jaw clenched.

"We pray that he will honor us with his presence tonight. In the meantime, let us rejoice in our master's honor!"

Cheers erupted as hardcore orchestral metal music erupted from nearby speakers and the Pyro began his tricks with flame, putting on quite a show with fire breathing, juggling torches, and ritual dance.

"He is quite good," the hooded figure complimented.

"The mute speaks," Ashi smiled. "Here I thought you were a shadow that had somehow gained physical form."

"Tonight should be a solemn affair. I do not think such spectacle is appropriate."

"Mother is usually quite reserved in showing worship to Aku, except this one night of the year, when she hosts this 'spectacle,' as you call it. It's not a good idea to question her decisions."

"So you were raised to believe in Aku?" The sadness and pity was quite evident in his tone.

"I was raised in the _truth,"_ she insisted. Who did he think he was to question the master of this world?

"I was given the freedom to make up my own mind about Aku, and it did not take me long to form my own opinion."

 _Freedom._ A dream, though it felt unobtainable. No one ever spoke of what happened after they killed the Samurai, but that must be because no one knew, not even her mother. Maybe she could leave the cult, live her own life. Her whole life, she felt like a tool, a living weapon, her only reason for existence was to kill the Samurai. "I have a destiny to fulfill. Once that is accomplished, then I shall know freedom. Before that, every hour of my day is dictated."

"I can relate. I am on a quest myself, for many years now. At times, it seems hopeless, but I press on, searching for a miracle to guide me."

"I wish you a speedy end that gives you everything you wanted," she said, touched by this stranger's story.

"I wish you the same," he replied, equally touched by her sentiment.

Flame filled the sky as the Pyro fired off rapid bursts of his flamethrower, demanding everyone's attention. "The witching hour is upon us," he said solemnly, and the music switched to a recording of a large cathedral bell sounding the hour of midnight. All gatherings on the Day of the Damned who sought Aku's presence played this recording, and by the twelfth bell, Aku would appear at one of them.

The gathering waited with baited breath, looking around wildly. Even the hooded figure was on guard, eager and anxious. Ashi remained calm, expecting yet another no show. Her mother had established the cult decades before she was born, and Aku had only ever shown up once, for a brief moment, demanding their continued allegiance. No, the only way to get his attention would be to hand him the head of his most hated enemy.

The twelfth and final bong sounded, but no one appeared. Aku had chosen another location for his appearance tonight. The High Priestess's mask hid her reaction, but Ashi could feel her rage. The years had taught her to stand as far away as possible from her mother when the witching hour struck, before she or anyone else could be blamed for "chasing him away" with how poorly they performed in training in the past year, and how they will improve. _I doubt Aku knows of our existence._

The hooded figure sighed with defeat. "Every single year," he grumbled, _"nothing."_

"Our lord and master has chosen to grace another gathering with his presence," the Pyro addressed the crowd, "but that does not matter. Tonight, we honor his existence, and not his arrival. The celebration will continue!" He heralded the cheers with another burst of flame. "Ashi, come here."

 _Damn!_ "My lord Pyro, I'm afraid I've already been claimed," she lied, grabbed the hooded figure's hand and wrapping his arm around her waist. "Play along, _please,"_ she whispered in his ear.

The stranger stood at his full height next to her, pulling her close, silent, but protective of his claim. She could feel the tight muscles that the cloak hid, and the butt of a sword poking her. Why was she suddenly feeling flushed? _It's the heat of the fire,_ she reasoned. The cavern was often cold or reasonably warm at best, never this hot. _But the fire has been going on for some time, and only_ now _am I bothered by it._ No, that didn't matter

She was certain he was a warrior like everyone else here, but why hide his face and his weapon? _He doesn't have an invitation,_ she concluded. _He's defying my mother's strict orders._ She admired him for achieving what she always dreamed of, and for that alone, she vowed to protect him from everyone as best she could.

The Pyro frowned, and for a second, Ashi worried that her plan would fail, and she put the stranger in jeopardy. "Avi," he called, and the woman approached him with the most disinterested look on her face, while Ami and Aki glared at her in jealousy.

"Thank you," she said as she stepped away, suddenly missing the close contact. "The Pyro always has his way with a woman after the witching hour. I do not want to be with him."

"That should be your choice, and your choice alone," he agreed, moving closer to her. "I shall 'claim' you for the rest of the evening then."

"Again, thank you." She took advantage of his position to get a better look at him. A long, black beard covered his face, but his large, expressive dark eyes shone bright. Almost everything in her life was about the darkness, an ally and foe alike in battle, the mark of the Master of Masters, and a part of life that she was numbly accustomed to, but his eyes were captivating. Deep depths that she could lose herself in, drown in sheer _blackness,_ but still feel completely safe.

"I suppose we should emulate the others in order to keep up appearances," he suggested, dragging Ashi out of her thoughts. What was he talking about? The music had switched to dark, hardcore techno with heavy, harsh bass. Those lucky enough to be paired off with someone were dancing quite sexually, and the Pyro was disappointed in Avi's bored expressions as he tried to be seductive. He might leave her and seek another for his partner.

"Yes, we should," she agreed, feeling another surge of heat as the hooded figure placed his hands on her sides. She raised her arms above her head and gyrated her hips, making her whole body move. She had seen Aki do this last year with the Pyro and it seemed to have pleased him. She knew nothing of seduction and flirtation, or even dancing. Previous celebrations were all used as excuses to train, to master an easy flow between one random martial arts stance and the next, trying to anticipate the flow of battle between her and the Samurai. The fight was all.

His beard hid any facial expression but his eyes were filled in delight, pleasing her. She lowered her arms, wrists resting on his shoulders as his hands moved to the small of her back, both gyrating to the music, giving him a soft smile. _This is all to keep me safe from the Pyro,_ she argued with herself, once again losing herself in his eyes. _So why am I enjoying this? Men are distractions. Men are useless. Aku is all. The fight is all. The Samurai's death is all._

 _Tonight won't end in depravity,_ she answered back. The song grew frantic, rising in intensity as it climbed to a crescendo. Without warning, he quickly lifted her up just as the music hit its peak, and then slowly brought her down, their bodies rubbing against each other. Her breath shortened, her heart felt tight, her skin hot as the flames that flickered around them. _But maybe I want it to._

 _Why? What makes him different than the Pyro?_

 _Because this is_ my _choice._ So few were given to her. The only significant choice she was ever allowed prior to this was deciding the weapon she would specialize in, but did that really matter in the end? They all learned to master many weapons, to accommodate for any possible change.

She bent over backwards, his hands still on her sides for support, getting quite low, but suddenly his hands moved to the small of her back and swiftly pulled her up. She rode the momentum, pressing herself against him as he held her tight, her left leg wrapped around him, her arms wrapped behind his head, their faces mere inches apart, their breath ragged and hot. _Kiss me, grope me, fuck me,_ her eyes begged. She never felt this way before, never felt so _good_ before. What was it about this man that made her feel like a _woman?_ Ashi shivered at the intensity in his eyes, he felt the same way. This had gone beyond "keeping up appearances," this was _mutual desire and lust._ Whatever he wanted to do to her, she welcomed it.

With visible restraint, his grip on her loosened and he took a small step backward, giving her space. "I am sorry. I overstepped my boundaries."

She didn't know how to feel, a mix of surprise, disappointment, and gratitude. Here was proof that he respected her, and that anything that happened for the rest of the night would be explicitly consensual. "I'm Ashi," she said, offering her hand.

"Jack," he took her hand and shook it, his grip tense as he realized his mistake, eyes watching her intently for any sudden movement. She caught him off guard, making him reveal his identity, but the name meant nothing to her. Perhaps it did to the Pyro and the other thugs around them?

"I know you weren't invited here, and strangers are not welcome tonight, but I will keep your secret, Jack." No one was close by, and everyone was too focused on their own actions to care about anyone else The Pyro had quite a crowd amassed around him, watching him pleasure Ami and Aki at once. Ashi turned her back to them, trying to give them the privacy they deserved. As much as she wanted to lie with Jack and share such joy, she would not do it where others could watch.

"Thank you, Ashi," his relief was evident as his whole body relaxed, feeling safe with her. His voice was so deep and melodic. To hear him say her name, such a thrill.

They spent the rest of the night together, their dancing considerably tamer. She didn't dare risk exposing his identity to everyone, not after he proved he was a gentleman. But the crowd eventually thinned, and Ashi could see her mother saying her farewells to the Pyro. Once he was gone, she would be anxious to bring her daughters back inside the cavern and resume their normal lives. "You better go, before anyone catches you," Ashi advised him, not wanting to see him leave, but not anxious for a beating for hiding a stranger in their midst either.

He nodded in agreement, bringing his hands together and bowing to her. "Farewell, Ashi."

She felt tears prick her eyes at the idea of him leaving. Tonight was easily the best night of her life, and she doubted she would ever see him again. She grabbed his face and kissed him with a passion, her hands moving to the back of his neck as his arms slipped around her waist, holding each other as tight as humanly possible. If nothing else, tonight was a fantastic memory to hold onto. "Farewell, Jack."

He smiled and nodded. She watched him leave, focusing on him as he entered the trees, but he was too good. Like her, he was one with the night and disappeared like a shadow. She sighed, missing him already, and proceeded to smother the torches while her sisters tossed water and dirt on the bonfire, banishing the light, and bringing back the darkness.


End file.
